Reading Harry Potter
by Ginny-Potter1981
Summary: This is a Harry Potter time travel story where certain people from the books read the Harry Potter series. Don't like don't read. There will be some character bashing most of it will be light but if you have a problem with that Don't read.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is a Harry Potter time travel story where certain people from the books read the Harry Potter series. Don't like don't read. There will be slight Hermione bashing when she is being close minded, other then that there will be some teasing all around but nothing too bad except for when Ron turns his back on Harry, and possible Snape bashing for a while as his behavior in the books is unacceptable, now many of you might say well Harry's dad did bully him, while I agree James Potter should not have bullied him he should not have bullied Harry who was not guilty of his fathers crimes. Also look at how Snape treated Neville who never did anything to deserve it. Again if you do not like how I write my story do not read it. There may be some Dumbledore bashing when people find out how maniupulative he was. Flame at your own risk.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does I am just swimming in her pool.**_

_**This story will take place at nearly midnight on Halloween 1981. The people who will be reading will be:**_

_**Albus Dumbledore**_

_**Minerva McGonagall**_

_**Severus Snape**_

_**Remus Lupin**_

_**Sirius Black (holding baby Harry)**_

_**Peter Pettegrew (you may ask why him, when we reach the 3rd book it will be shown that he is a traitor and should save a few extra lives.)**_

_**The Tonks family.**_

_**Frank, Alice and baby Neville**_

_**Filius Flitwick**_

_**Pamona Sprout**_

_**Amelia Bones**_

_**The Weasley family.**_

_**Kingsley Shacklebolt**_

_**Augusta Longbottom**_

_**Alastor Moody**_

_**That is all I can think of right now but if I decide to add more later I will do so.**_

July 31, 1998

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were on their way to the Burrow after picking up Teddy Lupin for Harry's birthday when a golden light surrounds them and little Teddy. They soon appear in a room just a several more flashes of light appear and the room is now full of people.

October 31, 1981

With several flashes of golden light Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettegrew, the Tonks family, the Weasley family, Aguusta Longbottom, the Longbottom family, Filius Flitwick, Pamona Sprout, Amelia Bones, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor Moody and baby Harry Potter appear in the same room as Adult Harry and Ginny.

A flash of silver light and a table, couches and chairs all appear in the room on the table are seven books. With the first book is a note, which Dumbledore walks over and picks up to read.

_Dear everyone,_

_ We ask that you read these books about the life of Harry Potter so that the tragic events in the books do not take place. Many horrible things happened in them and we wish to save as many lives as we can. I know what you are going to say, "Messing with time is dangerous, blah, blah, blah. Well we have permission from the Minister of Magic to send these books and make the neccessary changes to the war effort." _

_ Please try to remember everyone is here for a reason and try to put your differences aside. After book 3 one in the room will be leaving you for ever, it will be explained and before you jump to conclusions about anyone as many of them will probably prove false. If you have any questions we have sent Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley back in time to answer any questions they can that will not be directly answered in the books. They have baby Teddy with them and will introduce him too you._

_ Harry, Ginny please try to not give away what happens in the books, if you do what is the point of reading them? Time will pass in this room but not outside this room untill you are finished reading._

_Respectfully yours, _

_T.R.L., J.S.P., A.S.P., L.L.P., L.L.S., R.W., H.W., H.J.P., and G.M.W.P._

"Well then I guess we should start reading the first book after this adorable young man is introduced to us." Said Minerva with a smile.

"This is Teddy Remus Lupin." Replied adult Harry with a grin as a look of complete shock passes over Remus' face.

"Do you mean he is my son?" Asked Remus holding his arms out for his son.

"Yes, he is your son." Responded Ginny with a grin handing Teddy over to the father he doesn't know.

"Well since only one Harry Potter in the room can read at the moment why don't we have him start the first book as it seems to be about him, the title of the book is _**Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.**_" Said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: There will be some people very ticked off at Dumbledore for the next few chapters you have been warned.**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, I am not her but I am swimming in her pool.**_

_**Reading Harry Potter Chapter 1:**_

"Well let's get started shall we, the sooner this is over the better." Growled Harry as he picked up the book and turned to start the first chapter.

_**The Boy Who Lived**_

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"Sure they are." Snorted Harry before continuing to read.

_**They are the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange and mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**_

"Oh, don't they just sound lovely." Groaned Bill sarcastically.

"Don't they just." Agreed Charlie just as sarcastic.

_**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**_

"What is a drill?" Asked most of the purebloods in the room.

"Write down any muggle item you hear that you do not know and I will answer what they are after we finish reading for the day." Replied Harry.

Several people pulled out parchment to write down the items they don't know about drills being the first on the list.

_**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.**_

"Doesn't sound like she has changed much." Snorted Snape.

"No, she hasn't." Agreed Harry.

_**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**_"Dudley, small and fine? Not likely." Snorted Harry.

_**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**_

"There is nothing wrong with Potters." Growled Sirius and Remus together.

"Well nothing wrong with Lily anyhow." Mumbled Snape.

_**Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband **_

"My dad was not good-for-nothing, he died protecting mum and I, trying to buy us time to get out of there." Growled Harry really annoyed at the book.

"It is ok love their opinion doesn't matter." Said Ginny soothingly, taking Harry's hand to show her support.

_**Were as unDursleyish**_

"That isn't even a real word." Remarked Minerva and Remus together, making Remus blush and Minerva laugh.

_**as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to thin what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him.**_

"That wont last long." Growled Ginny glaring at Dumbledore.

_**This boy was another good reason for keeping the potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**_

_**When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the Dursley. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie **_

"Ugh, why his most boring tie?" Asked Bill making a disgusted face.

"All of his ties are boring." Replied Harry before continuing to read.

_**for work and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**_

_**None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.**_

"That isn't good owls will draw the attention of muggles." Remarked Sirius earning himself several curious stare. "What I took muggle studdies to irritate my dear old mum."

Those staring soon looked away.

_**At half past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing cereal at the walls.**_

"What a spoiled brat." Remarked Tonks. "If I had acted that way mum and dad would have punished me."

_**'Little tyke,' chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**_

"They encourage it?" Asked Arthur appaled.

"The Dursley's are stupid about Dudley." Replied Harry.

_**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr Dursley didn't realise what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in the mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping the get that day.**_

_**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about.**_

"What are they doing they will give our world away." Growled Moody.

"I don't know Alastor, why don't we continue reading and find out." Replied Dumbledore motioning for Harry to keep reading.

_**People in cloaks. Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the get-ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. **_

"Why are cloaks funny?" Asked Charlie confused.

"Muggles haven't worn cloaks for a very long time." Explained Remus.

_**He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on, and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills.**_

"Gee a one track mind goody." Remarked Tonks sarcastically causing most of the room to laugh or try to hide their laughter.

_**Mr Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drill that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight,**_

"That is unusual for muggles?" Asked Arthur.

"Yes, dad it is." Responded Ginny before motioning for Harry to continue reading.

_**though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen and owl even at nighttimes. Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. **_

"Oh, great what a wonderful man." Mocked Snape sarcastically.

"Isn't he though." Agreed Remus just as sarcastically.

_**He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite.**_

_**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his was back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**_

_**'The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard –'**_

_**'-yes, their son, Harry-'**_

"Must be very soon then as the news of Harry's defeat of Voldemort will be public knowledge soon. Remarked Dumbledore.

_**Mr Dursley stopped dead.**_

"I wish he would." Mumbled Harry.

"How could you say such a horrible thing? He is your uncle." Said Molly Shocked.

"Quite easily mum, as he is a great bullying git." Replied Ginny glaring at her mother.

_**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. **_

"He know's how to use his brain." Remarked Ginny shocked.

_**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was stupid. **_

"He figured it out?" Laughed Harry before continuing to read before anyone could scold him for his words.

_**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure that there were lots of people called Potter with a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure his nephew was called Harry.**_

"He didn't know your name?" Asked Kingsley.

"I am not sure he even know's it now." Replied Harry who then continued on with the reading wanting to get everything over with as soon as possible.

_**He'd never seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.**_

"Well it is kind of the modern day version of Harold isn't it. And I was named after my grandfather." Said Harry with a grin.

"How do you know that?" Asked Bill.

"The goblin's showed me my parent's will and family tree." Replied Harry with a sad smile, he would much rather have his parents then their will.

Ginny squeezed his hand in reassurance earning a loving smile in return.

_**There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley, she always got so upset at a mention of her sister. He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that … but all the same, those people in cloaks …**_

_**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked into someone just outside the door.**_

_**'Sorry,'**_

"He knows that word?" Asked Harry shocked.

_**he grunted,**_

"Sounds like a pig." Remarked Ginny.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley you don't know that man you should not insult him." Scolded Molly.

"Actually mum I do know him and it suits him perfectly besides he deserves it after treating Harry the way he did." Growled Ginny fiercly again glowering at her mother.

_**as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: 'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!'**_

_**And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off.**_

"How did his arms fit?" Asked Harry confused. "Uncle Vernon isn't a small man."

"They probably didn't." Replied Sirius with a grin.

_**Mr Dursley was rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger/ he also had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**_

"Sounds like a fantastic man." Remarked Remus sarcastically.

_**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on this garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**_

"That sounds like Minerva." Remarked Filius.

"What would she be doing there?" Asked Pamona.

"Hopefully trying to talk Dumbledore of of his idiotic idea of leaving Harry with his aunt and uncle." Growled Minerva.

_**'Shoo!' said Mr Dursley loudly.**_

"If that is Professor McGonagall that wont work." Laughed Bill.

_**The cat didn't move.**_

"Yup definately Professor McGonagall then." Agreed Charlie with a grin.

_**It just gave him a very stern look. Was this normal cat behaviour,**_

"No but it is normal behavior for Minerva." Laughed Filius who recieved a playful glare for his comment which only made him laugh harder.

_**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**_

_**Mrs Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word ('Won't!).**_

"That boy needs a spanking badly." Remarked Kingsley.

"Yes he does." Agreed Augusta and Amelia at the same time.

_**Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living-room in time to catch the last report of the evening news:**_

_**'And finally, bird-watches everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundred of sightings of these birds seen since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The news reader allowed himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?'**_

_**'Well, Ted,'**_

"That sounds like you dad." Remarked Tonks.

"Probably because it is Dora." Laughed Ted.

_**said the weatherman, 'I don't know about that, but its not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shouting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early –it's not until next wee, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.'**_

_**Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters …**_

"If the dimwited muggle put things together we are in danger of exposure with that kind of behavior." Remarked Snape.

"It would seem so." Agreed Moody.

_**Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from you sister lately, have you?'**_

_**As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**_

_**'No,' she said sharply. 'Why?'**_

_**'Funny stuff on the news,' Mr Dursley mumbled. 'Owls … shooting stars … and there were a lot of funny-looking people**_

"Look who's talking Dursley." Growled Sirius.

_**in town today …'**_

_**'So?' snapped Mrs Dursely.**_

_**'Well, I just thought … maybe … it was something to do with … you know … her lot.'**_

"HER LOT? JUST WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE JUDGING US? WHY THOSE STUPID MUGGLES." Yelled Sirius causing Remus to wince at the volume. "Sorry Moony I didn't mean to hurt your ears."

"It is ok just yell some place else next time, not right next to me." Grumbled Remus still rubbing his ears.

_**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'.**_

"Of course not coward." Growled Snape.

_**He decided he didn't dare. **_

"See." Said Snape smugly.

"No one disagreed with you Snape." Remarked Remus earning himself a glare from Snape.

_**'Instead he said, casually as he could, **_

_**'Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'**_

_**'I suppose so,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly.**_

_**'What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?'**_

_**'Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'**_

"One no one asked you, two I think Harry is a very nice name." Said Ginny before giving a blushing Harry a kiss.

_**Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.'**_

_**He didn't say another word on the subject s they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom. Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down unto the front garden. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.**_

_**Was he imagining things?**_

"No, you overgrown Walrus you don't have an imagination so you can't be imagining things." Growled Sirius.

_**Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did … if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it?**_

_**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought of them and their kind … He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. **_

"And he just jinxed it." Laughed Bill.

"It isn't funny it is me that has to suffer for it." Mumbled Harry causing many people to look at him in alarm. Ignorin them he continued reading.

_**He yawned and tuned and tuned over. It couldn't affect them**_

_**How very wrong he was.**_

"Wish he wasn't." Groaned Harry before continuing to read.

_**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**_

_**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**_

"What is he a daisy?" Laughed Ginny, having seen some muggle movies with Harry, Harry snorted with laughter.

"I don't get it." Said a confused Tonks.

"Sorry inside joke Tonks." Grinned Ginny.

_**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**_

_**Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**_

_**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**_

"Oh, I realized I probably just don't care. It can be very ammusing to go where you are unwelcome." Remarked Dumbledore earning himself some strange looks.

_**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise he was being watched, which was staring at him from the opposite end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. he chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.'**_

_**He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter.**_

"Actually it is called a Deluminator and I invented it." Remarked Dumbledore.

"Cool." Said Bill.

_**He flicked it open, held it in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat don on the all next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**_

_**'Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'**_

_**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald green one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**_

_**'How did you know it was me?' she asked.**_

_**'My dear professor,**_

"Why did you call her professor when you usually call her by her first name?" Asked Sirius.

"If we are discussing what I think we will be discussing then it would seem only fitting." Replied Dumbledore.

_**I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'**_

_**'You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall.**_

_**'All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feast and parties on my way here.'**_

_**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**_

_**'Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their new.' She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls … shooting stars … Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle.**_

"He never did have much sense." Snorted Minerva.

_**He never had much sense.'**_

_**'You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.'**_

"So it started just before I was born?" Asked Bill.

"Actually it started getting really bad just before you were born." Corrected Arthur.

"Oh I see." Replied Bill.

_**'I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being down right careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours.'**_

_**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't so she went on: 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?'**_

_**'It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?'**_

"A what?" Asked Arthur causing most of the room to chuckle.

"Just write it down to be answered later Arthur." Said Sirius.

_**'A what?'**_

_**'A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.'**_

_**'No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't thin this was the moment for lemon drops.**_

"It really isn't Albus." Scolded Minerva.

"It is always a good time for lemon drops." Replied Dumbledore who was unsticking two lemon drops before popping one in his mouth.

_**As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-'**_

_**'My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this "You-Know-Who" nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort.' Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore. Who was unsticking two lemon drops, appeared not to notice.**_

"Oh I would have noticed." Remarked Dumbledore.

"Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing it's self." Quoted Harry and Ginny together before grinning at each other.

_**'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who". I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.'**_

_**'I know you haven't,' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half-exasperated, half-admiring.**_

_**'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know – oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of.'**_

_**'You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. Voldemort had powers I will never have.**_

_**'Only because you're too – well – noble to use them.'**_

_"Show's what she knows." Mumbled Harry so only Ginny could hear him._

_**'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she like my new earmuffs.'**_

"Too much information Professor." Said Tonks with a shudder.

_**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'**_

_**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall al day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**_

_**'What they're saying,' she pressed on 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – dead.'**_

At these words Harry had tears running down his face, Sirius lets out a dog like howl of pain and Remus starts to cry as well. Most people missed the tears on Snapes face. Ginny leaned over and hugged Harry giving him a moment of comfort before he had to start reading again.

_**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**_

_**'Lily and James … I can't believe it … I didn't want to believe it … Oh Albus …'**_

_**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. 'I know … I know …' he said heavily.**_

_**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone.'**_

_**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**_

_**'It's – it's true?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done … all the people he's killed … he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding … of all the things to stop him … but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'**_

_**'We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'**_

"Oh he knows." Growled Harry low enough so only Ginny could hear him.

Ginny grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze of reassurace.

_**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's later. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way.'**_

_**'Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?'**_

_**'I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.'**_

_**'You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets.**_

"What a down right foul little git." Growled Moody.

"That sounds about right." Agreed Remus.

_**Harry Potter come and live here!'**_

_**'It's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter.'**_

_**'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? **_

"You have a point Minerva." Growled Filius glaring at Dumbledore.

"Yes she does." Agreed Pamona who like Filius was also glaring at Dumbledore.

_**These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!'**_

_**'Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'**_

_**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, 'Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?' She eyed his cloak suddenly as though he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**_

"He had better not be." Growled a scowling Remus.

"I have him Moony don't you worry." Sirius assured him showing him the bundle of blankets that baby Harry is in.

_**'Hagrid's bringing him.'**_

_**'You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'**_

_**'I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.**_

_**'I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?'**_

_**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**_

_**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times aw wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**_

_**'Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorbike?'**_

_**'Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' and the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it to me.'**_

"Why would you do that Padfoot?" Demanded Remus.

"Probably because I planned to go after the traitor." Growled Sirius.

"We need to have a talk." Growled Remus scowling at Sirius.

Peter upon hearing what Remus and Sirius were saying tried to move away only to find himself unable to move.

_**I've got him, sir.'**_

_**'No problems, were there?'**_

_**'No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'**_

_**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**_

_**'Is that where -?' whispered Professor McGonagall.**_

_**'Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar for ever.'**_

_**'Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?'**_

_**'Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful.**_

"He probably could but wanted the connection there so I could keep track of Voldemort." Growled Harry low enough for Ginny to hear but no one else.

Ginny patted his arm in reassurance.

_**I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. **_

_**Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with.'**_

_**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house.**_

_**'Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid.**_

_**He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**_

_**'Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall. 'You'll wake the Muggles!'**_

_**'S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotter handkerchief and burying his face into it. 'But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles –'**_

_**'Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself,**_

"Now there is the Minerva we all know." Grinned Pamona.

_**Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked up to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two.**_

"YOU LEFT HIM ON THE DOORSTEP, HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN COLD, HE COULD HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED, THOUGH WITH THE WAY HE WAS TREATED THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A BAD THING, HE COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF AND GOTTEN HURT." Screamed Ginny sending her death glare at Dumbledore.

"Left him on the doorstep." Growled Remus and Sirius adding their own death glares to Ginny's. "No way is he getting Harry now."

_**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagalll blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**_

_**'Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'**_

_**'Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. 'I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir.'**_

"Sirius never did get his bike back." Grumbled Harry.

_**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**_

_**'I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore, nodding to her, Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**_

_**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**_

_**'Good luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.**_

_**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drove. Which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley …**_

"What a foul boy." Said Kingsley again.

"I quite agree." Remarked Amelia and Augusta together.

_**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!'**_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and sorry it has taken me so long to update I have been very busy with work and school I will try to get back into the swing of things and try to update about once a week or so. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters who's names are from that series.**

"Harry hand me the book please and I will read the next chapter." Offered Ginny.

"Actually darling I do not think it is a good idea for you, Remus, Sirius or anyone else who loves me or my loved my parents to read so how about someone who doesn't have such ties to my family reads." Replied Harry.

"Ok Harry, I will read then." Said Bill. "I have a feeling we will be close in the future but since I do not know you well know it should be safe for me to read."

"Yeah it should be fine." Agreed Harry before putting a spell on the book to protect it from damage.

_**The Vanishing Glass-**_ Bill read.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all.**

"No surprise there." Snorted Snape.

**The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls.**

**Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets — but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother.**

"Do muggle pictures move?" Asked Charlie.

"No they do not if you want to know how it works write it down I promise to answer after the chapter I get to Hogwarts in the book." Replied Harry watching Charlie write down how it works.

**The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. **

"Please tell me one of us came to rescue you." Growled Sirius looking like he was about to cry.

"Afraid not Padfoot, I still live there, I did not meet you or Moony for a few more years." Replied Harry with a frown causing Remus and Sirius to share a worried look.

**Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

**"Up! Get up! Now!" **

"Oi, that is not very nice." Growled Tonks. "That is a horrible way to be woken up.

"You get used to it when it happens every single day." Replied Harry sadly.

Ginny reached over to give him a hug for comfort.

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.**

**"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"Probably because I had." Laughed Harry.

"You still remembered the rides on my motor bike?" Questioned Sirius.

"Yes I remember rides on your bike with you, and a man that looked like me who I can only assume was my dad and I remember a woman I think is mum caught you and that wasn't pretty." Laughed Harry, causing Sirius to wince remembering Lily's reaction to them taking her son out on a flying motor bike.

"I can only imagine that went over so well." Mumbled Snape so only Harry and Ginny could hear him.

"Something like that." Harry whispered back to him.

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Harry.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

"They made you cook? You are only 10 years old." Screamed Remus.

"I have been cooking for them since I was five, I just had to stand on the stool and hope I didn't burn anything as I would be severly punished if I did." Replied Harry, who was soon crushed in a hug by Sirius, Remus and Ginny.

"We will discuss this later cub I have a feeling the book will not explain everything and we demand to know what all happened." Growled Remus glaring at the book like he would like nothing better then for it to spontaneously combust.

**Harry groaned.**

**"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

"He didn't say anything horse face." Growled Sirius.

**"Nothing, nothing…"**

**Dudley's birthday — how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept. **

"Read that again Bill." Demanded Ginny and slower this time so we can all hear you.

Bill sighed he had been trying to keep the out burst over what he read down so he read it fast but he complied and read it again.

"THEY MADE HIM SLEEP WHERE?" Demanded Sirius, Amelia, Remus, Augusta and Minerva all at the same time, while glaring at Dumbledore for sending such a sweet boy to such horrible people, each resolving to stop him if he even tries.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER YOU NEVER TOLD ME THEY MADE YOU SLEEP IN A CUPBOARD, YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE HEXED THEM INTO NEXT YEAR." Screamed a livid Ginny.

"And that darling is why I never told you I didn't want you sent to Azkaban for cursing muggles." Said Harry trying to sooth his irate girlfriend.

"I have a feeling Harry the minister for magic from our time would understand and let me off for extenuating circumstances." Remarked Ginny glancing at Kingsley.

"You may be right." Laughed Harry thinking of all the things that the Dursley's did and wondering how his boss would react after hearing all of it.

"Read Bill." Pleaded Ginny looking like she wanted to kill the Dursley's.

Bill doing the smart thing started reading again.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike.**

This caused many people to glare but so they could get through the book they decided not to comment.

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise — unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

"THAT HAD BETTER NOT MEAN HARRY." Screamed Remus and Sirius.

"How do you think they will react when they find out it was me." Whispered Harry to Ginny.

"From their reaction I would say very badly." Responded Ginny.

Baby Harry chose this exact moment to wake up screaming. Remus and Sirius being around baby Harry long enough knew it was his I'm hungry cry. After taking Harry from Sirius, Remus proceeded to try to feed his honorary nephew, though his choice of peas baby food seemed to be the wrong choice as Harry flatly refused to eat it, but continued to scream.

"Why don't you try a different kind of food?" Asked Amelia kindly.

"I am not sure what he will eat at this age he is very picky." Responded Remus.

"May I try?" Questioned Amelia.

"Only if Dumbledore doesn't get his hands on Harry." Replied Remus.

"Of course not." Agreed Amelia who stood up and walked to the kitchen to find some food baby Harry would eat.

**Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.**

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. **

"While the cupboard would add to it most if it is genes Harry your father was a small, skinny git untill the summer before sixth year." Laughed Remus.

"Oi, Moony that isn't nice." Said a laughing Harry.

"But it is the truth cub." Countered Remus continuing to laugh.

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobby knees, black hair, and bright green eyes.**

"Just like James except he has his mother's eyes." Squeaked Flitwick.

"Acually while he looked like James he had more of his mother's personality and cheek according to Remus and Sirius in the future." Laughed Ginny kissing a blushing Harry.

**He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.**

Many growls went around the room at that sentence and several cuss words as well at hearing that.

"Mooey, what does som of bich mean?" Asked baby Harry curiously.

"PADFOOT YOU ARE TEACHING HIM CURSE WORDS NOW?" Screamed Remus.

"It wasn't me Moony." Denied Sirius.

"No unc Mooey it was man with gres hair." Said baby Harry pointing at Snape.

"SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE YOU WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE AROUND HARRY." Screamed Minerva and Amelia.

"Harry what you just said was curse words and you are not to use them. Do you understand me Harry?" Asked Remus.

"Yes unc Mooey. Me no curs. Promse." Responded baby Harry throwing his arms out for a hug from Mooney.

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"Hate it now." Growled Harry.

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.**

"They told you that your parents died in a car crash?" Asked Ginny. "Didn't they ever tell you the truth?"

"No they told me my parents were good for nothing, drunks who died in a car crash I did not know the truth till Hagrid came to give me my Hogwarts letter." Responded Harry morosely.

His answer causing many people to grit their teeth and again glare at Dumbledore who didn't even have the descency to look ashamed.

**"And don't ask questions."**

**Don't ask questions — that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

"How will you learn if you don't ask questions?" Asked Minerva.

"I wasn't allowed to learn, I had to do worse then Dudley and he wasn't a bright bloke, if I didn't the punishment twasn' pleasant." Mumbled Harry.

"No wonder you never showed your potential in school you were afraid to loose your friends." Remarked Ginny. "I would have been your friend regardless." She assured him.

"Thanks Ginny that means a lot to me." Said Harry leaning over to give her a kiss.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"That wont help at all." Laughed Sirius ruffling Harry's hair.

"Oi it is messy enough with out your help." Grumbled Harry dodging away from Sirius' hand.

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way — all over the place. **

"Your dads was exactly the same way. He never could do anything with it." Laughed Remus.

"Oh haha." Grumbled Harry.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. **

"Sounds like a pig in a wig." Remarked Charlie causing Bill to choke on his laughter.

"What is so funny Bill?" Demanded Charlie.

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel — Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. **

"His mothers cheek." Laughed Remus and Snape.

"Well there are worse people to think like." Grinned Charlie.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year." **

"Oh you poor baby. How many did Harry get?" Growled Sirius. "Hell Regulus never even got that many."

"It wont go well when they find out how many I got." Mumbled Harry so only Ginny could hear him forgetting about the werewolf not far down with exceptional hearing.

Remus hearing Harry's comment gritted his teeth and silently cursed the Dursley's and Dumbledore for Harry's treatment.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."**

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?" **

"Let me get this strait. If Dudley wanted it he got it?" Growled Kingsley.

"Pretty much and if I wanted it Dudley wanted it so I could not have it." Replied Harry causing Kingsley to grit his teeth at the answer.

Harry's words earned Dumbledore yet more glares this time from Flilius, Pamona and Snape as well as everyone else minus Molly.

"I'm sure Dumbledore had his reasons." Said Molly trying to defend the Headmaster.

"Yes mum he wanted Harry as miserable and downtrodden as possible so that when he came to get him he would see Dumbledore as his saviour." Growled Ginny shooting a fierce glare at her mother.

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty… thirty…"**

"Oh, Merlin he cant even count." Gasped Remus appaled.

"Of course not Mooney, I had to do his homework and mine and I had to do worse then he did." Responded Harry.

"Your not helping his temper Harry." Said Sirius with a frown.

"Sorry Padfoot just telling it how it was." Remarked Harry sadly.

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then." **

"Spoiled Brat." Growled Tonks.

**Uncle Vernon chuckled.**

**"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. **

"He is encouraging him?" Asked Augusta appalled.

"Yup Dinky Duddydums could do no wrong." Laughed Harry at his nickname.

"What horrible parents." Said Flitwick.

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried. **

"Spoiled little git." Growled Charlie.

"What has her panties in a twist?" Asked Sirius.

"Probably something to do with Harry." Guessed Andromeda causing Sirius and Remus to grit their teeth at her answer and renew their glares at Dumbledore.

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him."**

**She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

"HE HAS A NAME YOU NO GOOD TROLL." Screamed Ginny, Harry grabbed her hand to try and sooth her.

"When ever the Dursley's went some place they usually left me with Mrs. Figg." Noted Harry.

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned. **

"Sounds pleasant." Remarked Charlie with a grimace.

"Oh yeah." Agreed Bill sarcastically.

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

"The feeling is completely mutual, I assure you." Growled Harry the look on his face telling people not to ask.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there — or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. **

More growls and glares at Dumbledore who was starting to wonder if anything in the book would not cause him to recieve glares.

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?"**

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

"Wishful thinking that." Mumbled Percy shyly.

"I know Percy but it would have been nice." Agreed Harry trying to help build up Percy's confidence.

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. **

"That is her usual face." Said Snape.

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

"He wont blow up the house you good for nothing shrew." Growled Remus causing Bill to chuckle and read on.

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

"They never were." Mumbled Harry.

"Well there are worse people to think like." Laughed Remus who pointedly glared at Dumbledore.

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave him in the car…" **

"One he is not a dog, two how could they get away with abuse and three when I get my hands on them there will not be enough left to stuff." Growled Minerva.

"They were investigating at one time but for some unknown reason they stopped and never believed me about the abuse again when I asked what they were going to do about it they seemed not to remember me even telling them about it and showing them the bruises." Remarked Harry.

"I would say they had their memories modified and I am guessing it was done by Dumbledore." Snarled Kingsley.

"Probably." Agreed Harry.

"Don't worry Harry you will not be under his care or the Dursley's." Amelia assured him.

"Thanks Madame Bones." Said Harry with a smile in her direction.

**"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone…"**

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying — it had been years since he'd really cried — but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

**"Dinky Duddydums, **

"Now we know where you got the nickname." Laughed Bill.

"Yup." Agreed Harry.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

"How old is he three?" Asked Charlie disgusted.

"10 but he acted younger when he wanted something." Responded Harry glumly.

**"I… don't… want… him… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. **

"Brat is too nice a word for him." Growled Tonks.

"I agree but lets not teach curse words to the children Nymphadora." Scolded Andromeda causing Tonks to flinch at the use of her name.

**Just then, the doorbell rang — "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically — and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother.**

**Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"Not very good friends then, if they are a true friend you can cry infront of them and they will not think less of you for it." Sirius said surprising everyone though the look on his face said don't ask.

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

"Poor dear." Said Minerva getting up to hug Harry and shooting another glare at Dumbledore.

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy — any funny business, anything at all — and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas." **

"No he wont." Growled Sirius.

"I knew I should not have listened to you Albus. Harry will not be going to the Dursley's." Growled Minerva causing Dumbledore to shrink in his chair at her fierce glare.

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly…"**

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did. The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen. **

"Petunia would know it was accidental magic." Growled Remus.

"And it would just make her treat him worse." Said Sirius.

"Not helping Sirius." Snarled Remus.

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.**

More growls and glares at Dumbledore.

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off.**

"Cant beat the Potter hair." Laughed Remus.

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly. **

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry.**

**Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens.**

"And just why were you on the room?" Asked a laughing Sirius.

"You will see." Replied Harry knowing that when Sirius found out why he was on the roof he wouldn't be laughing.

**Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. **

Sirius' laughter died down and he started scowling at the book again.

"How did you get up there?" Asked Minerva curious.

"I flew actually and I only know how I did it cause I saw my mum do it in a memory once." Responded Harry.

"Awesome." Laughed Charlie earning himself a glare from his mother which he pointedly ignored.

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trashcans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump. **

"Pretty bad excuse there Harry." Laughed Bill.

"Give me a break I was only seven." Grumbled Harry.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"They sure love you don't they." Growled Sirius his voice dripping sarcasm.

"Oh, yes they do." Agreed Remus just as sarcastically.

**"… roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

**"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying." **

"Before you say anything I was only 10." Grumbled Harry causing those who were going to comment to shut up.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

**"I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. **

"From cartoons, they seriously have problems." Grumbled Tonks.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. **

"It was actually pretty good." Remarked Harry with a fond smile.

"Still people like them need hexed." Growled Kingsley.

**It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond. **

"Don't insult the gorilla it never did anything to you." Scolded Charlie trying to repress a grin.

"Sorry Charlie." Laughed Harry.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him.**

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"Of course." Moaned Sirius.

"You can never catch a break can you?" Asked Remus.

"Nope." Agreed Harry.

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can — but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

Harry winced knowing what was coming next and hoping those that loved him would not think less of him in any way. Ginny took his hand to show she would support him even if they did.

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. **

"Leave the snake alone you spoiled brat." Growled Charlie furiously.

**Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. **

More growls from charlie and a few choice words spoken softly so as his mother couldnt hear him.

**Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

**"This is boring," Dudley moaned. **

"Oh, boo hoo you big baby." Remarked Bill before continuing to read.

**He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house. **

"You have a kind heart if you are feeling bad for a snake when you have a horrible life." Remarked Andromeda.

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.**

**It winked.**

"Hmmm that is not normal snake like behavior as far as I know." Remarked Percy.

"Your right Percy it isn't." Agreed Harry.

**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:**

**"I get that all the time."**

"That is seriously cool you are talking to the snake." Grinned Charlie.

"Are you a parslemouth Harry?" Asked Remus curiously.

"Yes I just don't want people to think badly of me because I can talk to snakes." Mumbled Harry.

"Dont worry your mum could talk to snakes too and I never thought bad of her for it. It seems to have come from somewhere deep in her lineage." Remus assured him with a smile.

"I thought I got it from Voldermort or at least that is what I was told. I guess my mum being a parslemouth makes more sense." Agreed Harry hugging Mooney glad to know more about his mum.

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." **

**The snake nodded vigorously. **

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" **

"Sure ruin his moment making a new friend." Growled Sirius not caring one bit that Harry was a parslemouth.

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could. **

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. **

Cue more growls, cussing and glares at Dumbledore. Mumbles of where Dumbledore could shove his greater good.

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigo."**

"Polite snake." Remarked Amelia receiving strange looks. "What that snake was politer then the Dursley's are." Those giving her strange looks stopped, actually agreeing with her.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?" **

"That is some very powerful accidental magic Harry." Said Remus. "I am so proud of you and your parents would be too, dispite the horrible upbringing you had you turned out to be a wonderful young man." His words caused Harry to blush.

"He is right Harry I am very proud of you as well." Agreed Sirius causing Harry to blush even more.

Bill seeing Harry's blush took pity on him and continued to read.

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. **

"Over exagguration much." Grumbled Charlie glaring at the book like he wished Piers and Dudley were there for him to glare at.

**But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?".**

"Stupid git your going to get him into trouble shut up." Growled Bill.

"I think that was the point Bill." Grumbled Arthur.

"I know dad I just wish there was something else we could do about it. But at least these books are showing us what kind of life he would have had and now we can make it better." Growled Bill.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go — cupboard — stay — no meals,"**

"Please tell me that isn't true." Whimpered Sirius and Remus.

"I'm sorry Padfoot, and Moony but it is." Responded Harry with his head down.

"When I get my hands on them." Growled Remus.

**before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food. **

"Even then it wasn't much, if I took too much they would notice and the punishment would be worse." Mumbled Harry, earning himself another hug from Minerva and Remus, this time Sirius and Ginny joining in.

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died.**

"Was not, lying gits." Growled Charlie low enough so his mother couldn't hear and scold him.

**Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. **

"You survived the killing curse?" Gasped Augusta and Pamona.

"Yes." Harry answered simply.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

"That is just sad. I have some for you cub." Remus assured him.

Baby Harry chose this moment to start crying for his Mooey to hold him. So Remus got up to take baby Harry from Amelia.

"Mooey, Harry want Mummy where Mummy?" Asked baby Harry sadly, knowing something was wrong as his Mummy always came when he cried and he had cried a couple times now and no Mummy.

"I am sorry Harry, mummy is gone, you wont see her again for a long while. But uncle Moony and Uncle Padfoot will take good care of you ok?" Asked Remus.

"Ok Mooey just don't send me to mean people Durley. Me be good Harry." Said baby Harry sadly.

"Of course we wont send you to the Dursley's cub you are staying with Padfoot and I." Remus assured the now crying baby.

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened;**

"Ok I am sure it says in the books but where are Moony and I?" Growled Sirius.

"Lets just say you tracked down the traitor of my parents and Dumbledore convinced Mooney that the Dursley's was the best place for me so I do not meet either of you until the third book." Explained Harry with out giving too much away.

"I know better then to listen to him now." Growled Remus.

**the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too.**

**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"Stupid bullying git." Growled Bill. "By the way that is the end of the chapter. Here Charlie you read next." Said Bill handing the book to his younger brother.


End file.
